Quadraspire Q4 EVO Equipment Rack A high-performance equipment rack that won’t empty your wallet
By Jeff Dorgay
For many audiophiles, the equipment rack is the last thing in the chain to address for any number of reasons. Many of us are too busy acquiring the next cool piece of hardware, while others just refuse to spend money on something that doesn’t necessarily contribute to the overall sound of the system.
But a good rack will offer a better overall presentation, and it always adds to the visual presentation. Once you get use to the tidiness that a rack (or multiple racks) provides, it’s tough to do without. The four-shelf Quadraspire EVO rack is reasonably priced at $700, available in black as well as a number of attractive wood finishes. Additional shelves are $175 each and can be easily attached. The Q4 EVO rack has a 19¼-inch opening for components, and it’s 15½ inches deep. Those with massive components can order the Sunoko Vent rack, which is an additional three inches deep. This is Quadraspire’s top product and has a cost of $395 per shelf.
Built with care in the lovely town of Bath
The racks are meticulously made in the town of Bath in the UK. Quadraspire has a state-of-the-art facility, with the latest in CNC machining for the raw shelf components and an automotive spray facility to apply all of their finishes. Everything is done in house at their shop. I was impressed with the level of care put into all of their racks when I visited the factory last summer. You can get a mini tour from the Quadraspire website here:
To help in the development of their products, Quadraspire maintains a good demo room so that they can compare products in various stages. They had some top-line Naim gear with some floor-standing Tannoys that had a highly musical sound. Owner Eddie Spruit showed us the difference between their past products and the new EVO shelves, which have some precise grooves cut in the bottom face to reduce resonance.
The difference was instantly apparent, with the EVO shelved gear taking on a more open and focused presentation. It was enough of an obvious difference that can be easily heard even with a modestly priced system. While my current use for the Q4 EVO is a $60,000 dCS Paganini stack, I noticed a substantial jump in image focus with my Naim Uniti and Rega P3-24 turntable on the EVO rack, compared to one of my DIY racks that pays no attention to vibration control.
The Q4 EVO arrives well-packed, with high-density foam bumpers to protect all of the edges, and it can be assembled in about 15 minutes. It is worth noting that the enclosed instructions are excellent. I found that a fairly large pliers used with a thick piece of rubber (to protect the hardware from damage) was the best way to tighten the rack enough so it was not wobbly. The caps that attach to the top of the rack have holes that can be adjusted with the supplied tool. I did notice that after a few weeks, the rack required additional tightening, but it remained stable after that.
While some equipment-rack manufacturers take the high-mass approach to eliminating vibration, Quadraspire goes the exact opposite, going in a low-mass direction.
An excellent addition to your system
Only so much can be said about an equipment rack, but the Quadraspire is at the top of my list for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it makes an audible difference in the system. Second, it is tastefully designed and should fit well into any decor scheme. Finally, it is well-built by skilled craftsmen, which assures that it will last for a long time.
If you are in need of a new rack for your HiFi system, I can’t recommend the Q4 EVO highly enough.
Quadraspire Q4 EVO
MSRP: Starting at $700